Gemini - Dorothy Dunnett [138]
First of the great rulers to leave, that tall old man Uzum Hasan, Prince of Diarbekr, Lord of High Mesopotamia, chief of the White Sheep Tribe of the Turcomans, took to his bed and died on the Eve of Epiphany, upon which three of his sons immediately strangled their Christian-born half-brother. His motherless sisters escaped. Josaphat Barbaro, the dead ruler’s companion, fled in disguise and began to make his way home to Venice. Sultan Mehmet of Turkey gave praise.
Kathi said, ‘You went there. At least you went there, Nicholas. It prolonged his life and saved others, that promise of help from the West.’
‘Ludovico da Bologna went there,’ Nicholas said. ‘According to rumour, he was asked to go back by the Pope after Russia. If he did, he’ll be dead.’
‘So what will happen?’
‘Ask your uncle,’ Nicholas said. ‘Venice will make peace, tellement quellement, with Turkey. It will mean competition for Genoa. Gelis?’
‘But opportunities for alum,’ Gelis said.
THE BANK OF the Medici was the next of the great institutions to stagger. On Easter Day, in the Cathedral of Florence, the twenty-nine-year-old head of the Bank and his brother were attacked at Mass by assassins with some help from within, the pre-arranged signal being the elevation of the Host. Lorenzo de’ Medici escaped, but his brother died, as did Francesco Nori, who once represented the Bank in Geneva and Lyons. The killers were from the rival banking firm of the Pazzi, encouraged, it was said, by Pope Sixtus, who meant to confiscate the Medici wealth in the Papal States, and end their alum monopoly. Later, under pressure from France, the Medici decided to close their debt-burdened office in Bruges, which Tommaso Portinari had already abandoned in order to live in Milan. Offered the Bruges business on affordable terms, Tommaso declined. About the same time, by chance, another of the long-ago band of young foreign exiles in Bruges was doomed. Lorenzo Strozzi, smitten by a lingering illness, was destined to die in Naples, leaving two little sons by Tommaso’s wife’s sister, and an older, richer, successful brother in Florence with an illustrious future.
Anselm Sersanders said, ‘It always seems better than it was. I know: I remember Felix as well, and all the stupid things you and Julius and everyone did, with the Duke’s bath and the ostrich and all those lecherous girls. But everyone has to grow up. Tommaso always did overspend, and what about Nori? You haven’t met him since Geneva, and I thought you …’
‘You thought I disliked everything about Geneva. You should get the whole story, next time,’ said Nicholas.
Then he said, ‘I’m sorry. Nostalgie de bain. I should probably regard it with horror if someone actually re-created the past. But at least none of us had any money in the Medici. I wonder how Davie Simpson got on?’
‘He took out his deposit and lent it to the Abbot of Newbattle,’ said Sersanders. ‘Who, of course, is one of our rivals in trade. Neat.’
‘Oh, I don’t know,’ said Nicholas.
IN BRUGES, THE young Duchess of Burgundy bore a son to her still younger husband Maximilian, Archduke of Austria. The Habsburg succession was secure.
In Venice, the Doge Vendramin went to his account, and the Turks efficiently captured Lemnos and Croia in Albania, while Scutari starved. The Signoria, which still ruled in Cyprus, felt itself increasingly threatened by the presence of the noseless mother of the late monarch Zacco, and of Charla, Eugene and John, the King’s much-loved natural children and only remaining descendants. Of these, it was said, young Eugene (Tzenios to his father) was adored not only by men, but by the very stones of the island. By decree of the Council of Ten, they were all uprooted from Cyprus, and taken to Venice, where they died.
John le Grant said, ‘That’s why Simpson told you. To make you react.’
‘I didn’t,’ Nicholas said.
‘So why smash things now?’
‘Because I can’t find my toy sword,’ said Nicholas. ‘It’s all right. I’ve stopped. Would you like to go away and be adult with somebody else? I’m sure you’ll find someone.’
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